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Look, I won’t lie to you. This is the new single We Want War by These New Puritans, taken from their forthcoming second record called Hidden out 18 January 2010 via Angular/Domino. The song is about seven and a half minutes long. If your attention span is the size of a pebble than I doubt you made it very far through the video. It’s a shame because the song is actually very good when you listen to it, not as a pop song, but as an actual piece of music.

Yeah, I know. Billy! This is a pop music blog. I come here for poptastic tune-age and not to be subjected to a music lecture. Music is to be enjoyed and not studied. Yes, I get that but every once in a while, it’s nice to get the navel-gazing going and listen to a track that shows depth and tries to push the boundaries of modern music. We Want War makes a valiant attempt to do just that. TNPS, to me, have always sounded like a band who took their cues from the likes of Cabaret Voltaire but flipped the script by adding hip-hop percussion to reveal a potential Massive Attack influence in there somewhere. To me, it’s all good and very different from what we’ve been hearing these days.

Booming drums with what sounds like a dance-hall prgression, meancing synths and chanted vocals courtesy of Jack Barnett that almost remind of Karl Hyde from Underworld intersperse throughout. A symphony is in here somewhere just looking for room to breathe amidst the cacophony until 3.41 when we are treated to a chorus of angelic female voices to add a very interesting counterpoint. All in all, it works and serves to illustrate the imagination the band seems to have in spades. Me likey.

After long last, it is official. There is a new record from the trip-hop giants known as Massive Attack. Ladies and gents, welcome to Heligoland! Not too long ago, I waxed poetic about the first single from the record called Splitting The Atom. It caused quite a stir throughout the blogosphere as one would expect when talking about such an influential act such as the Attack. It’s awesome to finally have something to look forward to in the new year. The record is out in the UK 8 February and hopefully we won’t have to wait too long for news on the US release. It’s about time…

One of popular music’s least prolific bands are back. The kings of the Bristol sound, Massive Attack are releasing a digital EP 5 October which will include the brand new track unleashed today called Splitting The Atom. This one is a little different if you’ve spent the last near twenty years following this crew. While Atom does retain the tried and true dark and dirty sound that has made the band legends, it appears that the bpm has been increased allowing for a bit of booty-shaking while grooving to this track. Understand I’m talking about a slight increase in bpm, they most certainly have not gone all nu-rave on us or anything.

Two notable things going on in this song to listen for. One? Old reliable Horace Andy is back for another cameo on Massive Attack song. His is the voice that add levity and a sense of calm amidst the calamity that is the Massive Attack soundwave. Two? No 3-D anywhere to be found in the song! While this is disappointing, it is tempered by point #3, which is the return of Daddy G who had taken a powder for 2003’s 100th Window. His sorrowful, damned delivery adds a wonderful counterpoint to Horace’s making the song a winner in this fan’s eyes.

This is a wonderful preview to what we can expect from what will be the fifth installment in the Massive Attack canon rumoured to be released in March 2010. Rumour has it that guests on the new record include Hope Sandoval, Tunde Adebimpe (TV On The Radio) & Guy Garvey (Elbow). Needless to say, this is one record that will be a must-have. About time, Massive Attack came back, eh?